Designing and Evaluating Interventions to Reduce Crime and Reoffending Summary

Step 3 : Draw a logic model

What are logic models and who can use them?

What are logic models?

Logic models are step-by-step diagrams which simply show:

• What you’re hoping to achieve in the long run (long-term outcomes)
• The process (short and medium term outcomes) through which your planned activities can be expected to lead to long-term aims
• What resources will you need to do this (inputs)

Who can use them?

Anyone who is planning activities with particular aims in mind can benefit from using a logic model. This includes funders and commissioners, who might use them to plan how to assess applications and allocate funds in pursuit of their overall aims, as well as organisations and individuals planning behaviour change projects or services.

A logic model template

This blank template can be found here: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evallogicmodel.html

A project-level logic model

The following simple logic model shows how a project aimed at improving family relationships for people on bail, improve employability and reduce reoffending is expected to work. It is based on international evidence about ‘what works’ to reduce reoffending and on research which highlights the importance of promoting positive relationships between workers and service users. It shows clear links between activities and the expected outcomes, based on what research studies tells us.

This model is quite general so service providers should be a bit more detailed about the evidence they have used to design and deliver the intervention and also describe the content of activities in more detail.

Another project-level logic model can be found in Step 4 and there are more examples in the pack entitled ‘Designing and Evaluating Behaviour Change Interventions’.

A simple supervised bail logic model